A system for controlled neuromodulation procedures is disclosed. A system for controlled micro ablation procedures is disclosed. Systems and methods for imaging, monitoring, stimulating, and/or ablating neurological structures coupled to one or more organs of the lower urinary tract (LUT) are disclosed. Such processes may be used to alter the hormonal secretions from one or more organs, to modulate the growth of an organ, alter the growth rate or rate of perineural invasion of a tumor, or the like. In particular such processes may be used to slow, halt and/or reverse the growth of a prostate gland or a prostate tumor.

Navigation of an instrument within a luminal network can include image-based branch detection and mapping. Image-based branch detection can include identifying within an image one or more openings associated with one or more branches of a luminal network. Image-based branch mapping can include mapping the detected one or more openings to corresponding branches of the luminal network. Mapping may include comparing features of the openings to features of a set of expected openings. A position state estimate for the instrument can be determined from the mapped openings, which can facilitate navigation of the luminal network.

A gap between a plurality of ablation sites in a heart that hinders electrical propagation therethrough is found by projecting the locations of the sites in a 3-dimensional coordinate system onto a simulation plane, identifying a set of shortest 3-dimensional paths that correspond to 2-dimensional connections between pairs of the projected locations of the sites, and reporting a gap as a longest one of the set.

Apparatus and methods are provided for using catheters to increase the accuracy of anatomical maps in the setting of patient movement.

A retractor apparatus for a surgical robotic system includes a frame defining a central open region, a connecting member that connects the frame to a robotic arm, a plurality of coupling mechanisms for attaching a set of retractor blades within the central open region of the frame such that blades define a working channel interior of the blades, and a plurality of actuators extending between the frame and each of the coupling mechanisms and configured to move the blades with respect to the frame to vary a dimension of the working channel. Further embodiments include a surgical robotic system that includes a robotic arm and a retractor apparatus attached to the robotic arm, and methods for performing a robot-assisted surgical procedure using a retractor apparatus attached to a robotic arm.

A system that executes a process for mapping cardiac fibrillation and optimizing ablation treatments. The process, in some embodiments, includes: positioning a two dimensional electrode array to several locations in a patient's heart and at each location, obtaining a conduction velocity and a cycle length measurement from at least two local signals in response to electrical activity in the cardiac tissue. In some embodiments, a regional wavelength is calculated by multiplying the local conduction velocity with the local minimum cycle length. The system can then create a wavelength distribution map that identifies the location of the drivers in the heart. In certain embodiments, the system uses variability of conduction velocity and cycle length in an area to determine the driver type. In some embodiments, the system calculates average distance of drivers to non-conductive tissue boundaries. The system then selects ablation placements that maximize treatment efficacy while minimizing tissue damage.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for determining a proposed ablation site in a cardiac chamber. A system includes an implanted device configured to record a plurality of intracardiac electrogram (IEGM) couples, and a mapping and ablation system communicatively coupled to the implanted device. The mapping and ablation system is configured to receive the recorded plurality of IEGM couples from the implanted device, calculate a parameter for each of the plurality of IEGM couples, determine, based on the calculated parameters, an area of origin for each IEGM couple, and determine an intersection between the determined areas of origin, wherein the intersection represents the proposed ablation site in the cardiac chamber.

A catheter has a composite and segmented construction in a distal section that includes deflectable members and support member arranged in alternating sequence, with each support member carrying a ring electrode and the deflectable members being flexible to allow deflection of the distal section as a whole. Carried on an outer surface of the support member is a coil location sensor. The distal section is configured with a distal irrigation fluid path extending axially through the deflectable members and the support members to deliver irrigation fluid to the ring electrode and the tip electrode. A method of constructing a catheter includes building a section of the catheter from the inside out by mounting the support members on a tubing at predetermined locations and filling gaps in between with a more flexible material to form the deflectable members by extrusion segments or injection molding over assembled components internal to the catheter.

A system includes multiple electrically-conductive channels and a processor. The processor is configured to receive, over the electrically-conductive channels, (i) respective first electric currents from a probe, which is within a body of a patient, via a plurality of first electrodes, which are attached to skin of the patient at a region of the body, and (ii) a second electric current from the probe via a second electrode, which is attached to the skin and is connected to one of the channels. The processor is further configured to ascertain respective first electric-current values of the first electric currents and a second electric-current value of the second electric current, and to calculate a position of the probe between the region and the second electrode, based on the first electric-current values and the second electric-current value. Other embodiments are also described.

A map generator can be programmed to generate a multi-parameter graphical map by encoding at least two different physiological parameters for a geometric surface, corresponding to tissue of a patient, using different color components of a multi-dimensional color model such that each of the different physiological parameters is encoded by at least one of the different color components.